>> The Kingdom grieved from the passing of the Queen Juno in the last Winter Solstice. Townsfolk, as well the nobles attend the wake and say their condolences to the princess.

A sudden passing that no one predicted, though, everyone in the Demon race has been aware that when an offspring was born, this eventually happens.

The remains of Queen Juno were placed in a Sarcophagus and hold up to the deepest part of the castle where the ancestors and founders of the Kingdom slumbered.

As for the ones who left by the previous Queen, the only heir to the throne, Astarte.

The way how the royalties face future without someone to lean on; Astarte now is the one officially who makes the decision for the ruling of the Kingdom.

Its future is under her care now.

Yet, to the young girl who faces loss of her parents before the upcoming right of age, devastation indeed bestow upon her.

“Milady...?” at the chamber of the princess, Abigor, her personal attendant and maid asked while standing on the side of the bed.

Because of sudden happenings, Astarte remains in grief of losing her mother and the previous Queen. Day passes by; she just lay down on the bed without moving a bit.

Her feelings are totally shattered. There’s nothing to console about. No one is there for her. Everything seems bleak; she doesn’t want to live anymore.

The once vigor and fresh looks of the princess turns into grim and deep eye bags. Her complexion turns pale, and the once blonde hair glimmers under the sun gone gloomy.

“Milady...” Abigor called out to her. Abigor, despite of her being sad for the sake of the princess in the loss of Queen, she can’t do anything to cheer up her master’s spirit.

“... Abigor, tell me...” in a grog voice, Astarte called out. “Huh?” the maid asked as she looks at the princess.

Her feelings tattered with the looks from the princess. Its hollow eyes gaze up. “.... Why, why is life such cruel?”

Astarte gives off that question. Her voice lures with abhor and sorrow.

Abigor bit her lower lip, as she sit down on the side of the princess and hold her hands. “Milady,”

“Why... why does this happen? I don’t understand. I don’t understand why mom needs to die...”

Tears moistened on her eyes, Astarte let out that thought. “I don’t want anything; I don’t need anything... I don’t need wealth, if mom won’t be here with me...”

“But it’s the fate of our race. We, the Demon race perish when another offspring is born. I know it’s really painful for you, and it is for me too...”

Abigor’s voice frets as she answered. Her hands shake as well while gripping Astarte’s hands. “.... If I could help it; if I can do something to take your pain away, I will take it all.”

The young maid starts sobbing. Astarte loses to her grip and reaches Abigor’s face. “Abigor... my dear Abigor...”

On the girl’s expression show the deep concern, and love for her. A spark ignites inside her chest, and the dark emotions swirling inside her slowly vanished.

Abigor has been by her side since the time Queen Juno passed away. She’s always been there to look after her.

The young maid never left her. Through the cruel times she has felt no one is there, she forgot this person alone.

In grievance, Astarte thought that the burden of the Kingdom bestows now to her shoulders and has been in the doubt that her knowledge and power won’t suffice to govern.

The reason she will be to the next throne without her mom to look after and ask for assistance gave her doubt.

The sudden passing of the Queen shunned her will, and the fear that the oblivious fall of the kingdom might be her responsibility.

Yet...

“Milady...”

With everything that happens, the burden she has been carrying is being lifted with another one. All the sadness she has been kept inside has been also in kept with someone.

“Your burdens are not only yours to carry out, milady. I’m here... I’m always here to support you. So cheer up, the Kingdom needs you. We, the people on this place need you...”

“Abigor...” Astarte utters. Her fingers brush the tears flow down on the girl’s cheeks. “I’m sorry I never understood your feelings.”

Astarte gets up from the bed and look directly to the maid.

“I’m sorry; I was worked up with grieve of losing the queen, that I didn’t see that you’re always by my side.”

“It’s fine. I do understand your pain, milady.” In between her wail, Abigor answered.

Winter Solstice has been over, and coming right through is the Summer Solstice. A season will come without the Queen who has been with her all this time.

“But there’s no way I can stay like this. There’s no way I can stay the way I am now. The future of the Kingdom is now in my hands, and that should be my priority.”

Now the queen passed, only the heir to the throne should continue the reign of the Kingdom. Astarte needs preparation for the upcoming ascension to the throne.

Apparently, the ascension happens on the day after the wake of the previous Queen. Grievance should just take for about week, and after, everything will turn to normal.

However, in case of Astarte and since she is just new to the task, Mashtema and Ifrit, the two most trustful confidants of the previous Queen let her be.

It was also the will of Juno before she passed on, to look after her daughter when she’s gone. She knows Astarte would be the one who will experience deep pain.

And from that, Mashtema and Ifrit noted that they must pay respect for the last will of the Queen.

♦ ♦ ♦

>> Summer Solstice, the first day of spring season...

Astarte prepared herself to see the caretaker of the throne while no Queen has been ascended, Mashtema.

On the hall where the throne located to the center point and candelabras lit with candles to give light, Mashtema sits at the side of the throne.

Huge windows arranged into the walls at the left and right side; illumination of the morning sun penetrates over the place. Soldiers who are in heavy armor, stands firmly side by side on the aisle while holding their halberds.

Astarte, together with Abigor and other servants followed her as they walked towards the throne.

Mashtema stands up quickly as she notices the princess briskly walk forward to her location.

“Princess Astarte,” Mashtema called as she bows to give respect to the princess. “I believe you are one of the most trusted confidants of the previous Queen.”

Reaching the place of Mashtema, Astarte asked. The Confidant noticed the sudden changes of the princess since the time of the passing of the previous Queen.

Her appearance; the vibes of mature woman at the verge of child and an adult lures on her. Wearing a navy blue Tudor dress and hair accessory attach on the back of her head, the elegance of the true princess gives off.

Her stature shows impeccable; Mashtema couldn’t hide her amusement. The once princess who likes to play doesn’t seen anywhere right now.

“I am, Your Highness. I am the most trustful Confidant of the previous Queen Juno to her reigning years of this Kingdom.”

With humbleness on her voice, Mashtema bows and answered. “Then, would you swear fealty to me, as the next to the throne Queen of this Kingdom?”

Astarte’s voice show no fear, and full of conviction as she let those thoughts out. In a sudden, Mashtema lift her head and look at the princess.

On her eyes is the seriousness and deep dedication to the responsibility bestowed.

“Your Highness,” she utters. “Do you swear your fealty to me, and stay loyal as per your loyalty to the previous Queen of this Kingdom?”

Once more, Astarte repeated those words. Mashtema shunned from what she have heard.

“The princess—-No, this is not the princess I knew. Her resolution to take the throne is already firmed and can’t be bent. The Queen Juno knows that this day comes... and I, her most trusted confidant should remain loyal to her...”

Mashtema deeply utters those words through her mind.

“Lord Mashtema?” Once more, the princess called her. “I should remain loyal to the previous Queen. My loyalty remains to her until now...”

Mashtema answered, with conviction on her voice. Her hands clenched tightly while remembering Juno on her mind.

“However,” her head then lifts up and directly looks at Astarte’s eyes. She now sees the image of Juno in her prime years, now in the appearance of the young princess in front.

It’s like the day she swore a fealty to Juno. The lenient expression made her heart quiver; no one can ever replace the Queen to her heart.

“However, as the previous Queen passed and the throne will be yours to take... I, Mashtema from the House of the Marquis, will swear fealty as you reign on this Kingdom.”

Her heart quivers through the words left out. Mashtema knows perfectly that the Queen she has been looking up to was already passed. Her words of loyalty won’t be renewed anymore.

She has been thought that there should be nothing left to do. Until the princess becomes an adult and take the throne by herself, she would not leave this place.

And now, Astarte stretched her left hand towards Mashtema.

“Then, prove to me your fealty; the compact of your loyalty to me alone and this Kingdom; the way you won’t give any doubts on my words and follow every command I give.”

The princess’s slender fingers show before Mashtema’s eyes. Like the time she does this before, the hands of the Queen Juno, she kneeled down and grabbed it.

“I do swear to you, Highness and Queen, that I, Mashtema will never doubt you and your commands. To this day, until the time I perish, my loyalty will be for you and this Kingdom.”

Leaning her face forward, she kisses the back of the hand of the princess.

“To this day, my dear Queen Juno, my fealty to you dies along with your perished body. My oath and everything will be in this young and prime Queen of Tophet Kingdom.”

Those are the last words Mashtema thought as her eyes closed.

♦ ♦ ♦

>> And so, the ritual for the rite of age of the princess begins in the mid-spring season of Summer Solstice.

Astarte baptized on the water by the priestess. Bestowing up on her age of 16 years as an adult, the ascension to the throne happens 3 days after the ritual.

On the day of her ascension, everyone is present in the hall. Alastor and Ifrit, as well as Botis and the Mages on his care attended the ceremony.

“We are here to witness the ascension of our new Queen, Astarte.”

At the center point where the throne erects, Astarte stands with a coat on her shoulder and scepter symbolizing the power and might of a ruler.

“Everyone in this place witnesses your coronation, and swear strong fealty to your ideals and command.”

His loud voice echoed around, Botis stomps his staff on the ground and kneel down to bow. Everyone else did the same as two of the servants standing puts the tiara on her head.

“We welcome you, the new Queen of Tophet Kingdom. The Kingdom welcomes you, Queen Astarte.”

“Thank you and you all can stand up...” Astarte commanded. Everyone did what she said. “Now, Your Highness... let the whole Kingdom sees their new Queen.”

Alastor comes over and speaks to the new ascended Queen. Astarte follows him and walked on the open balcony at the left side of the throne room.

From below are the townsfolk of this Kingdom. At the sun reaches the zenith, the clamor and shout of the people heard around. “We welcome you, our dear Queen! We love you, our Queen Astarte!”

Their shouts echoed around; Astarte felt shunned over as she sees their face full of brim and hope after the long wait of seeing the new Queen.

“These people; the citizens of this Kingdom bestow their hopes towards the previous Queen. For the thousands of years since this place founded by my forefathers, they’ve been in peace and serene.”

Her hand gripped tightly on the scepter while having those thoughts. This is the reality she has now. On this day forward, the dawn of new era will begin.

Taking a deep breath, she composed and opens her mouth.

“My dear citizens of this Kingdom...” a firm voice clearly heard. Clamors snuffed in an instant as everyone heard her voice.

“As your new Queen, I swear to the previous one and to my forefathers that this serene and happy life we have until now will remain. Towards the new era of this Kingdom...”

So as for the short speech she gave, the clamor and shout once again rise. The dawn of the new era begins so as the fate of her, the new Queen.